Contractor Privileges

[swamp]

Most places I've been the contractors have been invited. They like us to come to their parties as we liven things up

[ratewhore]

I make a point of not using any of the staff benefits or facilities available, from buying my coffee at the starbucks outside the office, to cr@pping in a carrier bag and throwing it out of the window. I've got my own (Ltd company branded) SCUBA tank that I wear to work, in case HMRC claim that by using the end-client's air conditioning, I am implicitly creating an employee relationship.

[pmeswani]

If they class themselves as outside of IR35 this would surely count against them in an investigation......?

Only if they expect their Ltd company to pay for it.

[TykeMerc]

I've had both situations at different gigs, if invited I go (if it's convenient) and if not I'm not offended.

I've been over to my last gig a couple of times since I left for drinkies sessions because I count at least 10 of the people there as friends and we stay in touch.
While the gig was on drinkies and meals were quite frequent, it was a very sociable workplace including what they called the Contractors Curry Circle which started with 5 contractors and ended up with 2 and 12 permies.

[SueEllen]

If they class themselves as outside of IR35 this would surely count against them in an investigation......?

Client relations.

All sorts of businesses entertain clients.

[Sockpuppet]

Why the fook would you want to go drinking with the permies. Come to london on the 5th and get smashed with us.

[Beefy198]

If they class themselves as outside of IR35 this would surely count against them in an investigation......?

[BrilloPad]

I was recently informed that all contractors will be excluded from a Christmas dinner and dance that is traditionally conducted by the client every year. This was to be a cost cutting measure. This was communicated very well in a nice manner.

I was quite cool with it as it makes sense but some other contractors were quite outraged. They felt that this was discrimination.

I do feel puzzled that sometimes contractors say things like
1. Do they think I am a permie? How can they enforce office timing / holidays on me?
2. This the permie way. They dont know the right way to do things. I am a separate company.

And yet they expect that their company should be part of the dinner and dance of a totally separate company at no cost to them.

I believe this is what makes the permies think of us as parasites.

Why cant the contractors pay to go? Its only fair.....

[lambrini_socialist]

my clientco drag us along to all their boozy shindigs, i'll happily guzzle the free drinks and food but unlike most other contractors here, i don't bill for it (even when encouraged to by the client). it actually feels nice to be off the clock at such events.

[norrahe]

Some companies i've worked at are quite happy for contractors to come along to the xmas party.
Others exclude you from any office party shenanigans.

As for office hours, I normally ask if i can do certain hours xam to xpm, some are happy with that, some prefer you to keep to the same hours as the permies.

you work out where you stand when you join and best not to give a cr@p.

[NotAllThere]

At my last permie place the contractors were invited to the Xmas do. Free meal and venue (disco etc) but the bar wasn't free.

Contractors/consultants and their firms footed the bill for the vino on the tables. So the permies were happy and the contractors presumably used it as an entertainment expense.

Sounds strangely familiar...

I was that contractor!

[Unicorn]

Bar tab

At my last permie place the contractors were invited to the Xmas do. Free meal and venue (disco etc) but the bar wasn't free.

Contractors/consultants and their firms footed the bill for the vino on the tables. So the permies were happy and the contractors presumably used it as an entertainment expense.

[Cheshire Cat]

I make a point of not using any of the staff benefits or facilities available, from buying my coffee at the starbucks outside the office, to cr@pping in a carrier bag and throwing it out of the window. I've got my own (Ltd company branded) SCUBA tank that I wear to work, in case HMRC claim that by using the end-client's air conditioning, I am implicitly creating an employee relationship.

[AnthonyQuinn]

I was recently informed that all contractors will be excluded from a Christmas dinner and dance that is traditionally conducted by the client every year. This was to be a cost cutting measure. This was communicated very well in a nice manner.

I was quite cool with it as it makes sense but some other contractors were quite outraged. They felt that this was discrimination.

I do feel puzzled that sometimes contractors say things like
1. Do they think I am a permie? How can they enforce office timing / holidays on me?
2. This the permie way. They dont know the right way to do things. I am a separate company.

And yet they expect that their company should be part of the dinner and dance of a totally separate company at no cost to them.

I believe this is what makes the permies think of us as parasites.